Taste of Madison: No more dogs

Rita Kelliher, president of Madison Festivals, didn't want it to come to this: "It kills me because I own a dog, and I love them to pieces."

But Madison Festivals wants to ban dogs from the annual Taste of Madison on Capitol Square, scheduled this year for Sept. 4 and 5. The festival put up signs last year saying dogs weren't allowed, but they didn't seem to deter dog owners. This year it's asking the Madison Common Council to ban dogs via ordinance, which will allow citations to be issued to violators.

Kelliher says there are concerns about sanitation and safety, although there haven't been major incidents in the past. Besides, she thinks the festival is not a good place for canine companions: "There's really no dog that does well around 50,000 people."